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(No Model.) 2 sheets sheet 2 J. K INGALLS.

ILLUMINATING noors, 8w. No. 271,854. Patented Feb. 6, 18-83.

INVENgR: n By his flitorn z s,v I @74/q MW ,2 Q I WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOSHUA K. INGALLS, OF GLENORA, NEW YORK.

ILLUMiNATING-ROOF, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,854, dated February6, 1883,

Application filed October 17, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA K. INGALLs, a resident of Glenora, in thecounty of Yates and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Illuminating-Roofs and other Surfaces, and inreflecting-lenses therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vault-lights, rooflights, area-lights,illuminating-steps, 820., where the lenses or glass plugs employed servenot only to admit, retract, and diffuse the light, but also to reflectit wholly or partiall y and direct it back into'the more remote anddarker portions of the buildin A lens of this character is shown in myPatent No. 258,232, dated May 23, 1882; and one part of my presentinvention consists in an improvement in the form of that lens, and inits manufacture.

Another part of my invention consists in a lens to be set in verticalwalls or risers of steps, and to be used with the aforesaid lens; andthe third part of my invention consists in an improved form andconstruction of rear extension-roofs and other roofs, and illuminatingplates, surfaces, and coverings, and in a novel arrangement ofditl'erent kinds of lenses there in, whereby a thorough and economicalillumination of remote portions of apartments is the better attained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of areflecting-lens somewhat similar to that shown in and protected by mysaid Patent No. 258.232, and a cross-section of a portion ot'the platein which it is set. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the lens detached.Fig. 3 is a verticalmid-section of the mold in which this lens isformed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a lens similar to that shown inFig. 1, but designed to direct the light at a different angle. Fig. 5 isa rear elevation thereof. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a lens set in avertical plate, as the riserot a step, showing a portion of the plate insection. Fig. 7 is a rear or inside elevation of the lens and plate.Fig. 8 is a front or outside view of the same. Fig. 9 is a longitudinalmid-section of the lens. Fig. 10 is a diagonal or oblique elevation ofthe lens,

looking in the direction of the arrow 10 in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a viewcorresponding to (No model.)

Fig. 6, and showing a modified form of lens designed to direct the lightat a different angle. Fig. 12 is a rear or inside view of this lens anda portion of its plate,,and Fig. 13 is a section thereof correspondingto Fig. 9. Fig. 14. is a section of the rear portion of the basement orthe lower portion of a store or other building, showing the curvedextension-roof. Fig. 15. is a similar section of the front of abasement. Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 14, but more in detail,showing the setting of the lenses. Fig. 17 shows the arrangementot' thelenses in an inclined or pitched roof. Fig. 18 shows a fragment of aroot detached and enlarged to show the jagged or step like construction.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A is the lens, and B the plate in which itis set. The lens is substantially a cylii'idricalungula in form, itsplane oblique surface forming the reflectingsurface of the lens. Thislens differs from that shown in my said Patent No. 258,232 only in thatthe reflecting-surface is straight or plane instead of curved, and thatit extends up into the socket in which thclens is set, instead ofterminating below the socket. This upward extension of this surfacecauses it to gather and retlcct to the desired portion of the apartmenta greater quantity of light. The slightv nibs or projections b I) bearagainst the socket, as described in my said patent, and one of them, asshown in Fig. 2, extends over a portion of thc reflecting-surface. Fig.shows the mold in which this lens is formed. Heretofore, so far as I amaware, lenses of this general character have been made in a mold withthe same side up as that shown in Fig. 1, the plunger entering the moldand shaping or forming its top surface. 1 tind that lenses made in thisway contract unequally in cooling, owing to their being chilled by themetal of the mold, and the reflecting-surface a, which by this method isin contact with the mold, comes out so rough and dull that aconsiderable portion of the light which should be reflected is lost,necessitating the smoothing of the lens by fire-polish to renderiteli'ective. To avoid these diflicnlties I employ a mold like thatshown in Fig. 3, preferably open and without a plunger, and simply pourthe molten glass into the mold until it is tilled. The sur- ISO plus isthen removed and the surface rubbed over with a piece of wood, whichimparts a high degree of polish. Thus it will be seen that by my methodthe lens is molded with its reflecting-surface a--the only surfacerequiring a polish-uppermost and out of contact with the mold. If aplunger be employed, this is the surface that will be in contacttherewith; but the plunger is not apt to chill and deaden the glass. Themold may be made in sections, as usual, for convenience in removing thelens. The other forms of lenses shown will all be made in this way, ineach case the surface a forming the open top of the mold.

The lens A (shown in Figs. 4 and 5) is designed to he set in ahorizontalor substantially horizontal plate, the same as that shown in Fig.1, butto direct the light to a different angle, as indicated by the dottedlines marked Light in Fig. 4-. This lens consists of a sec tion of acylinder, the cylinder from which it is out being indicated by thedotted lines 0 0. Its reflecting-surface it extends quite to its topsurface, (7, which it meets at an angle of about seventy-five degrees,while the axis of the cylinder is inclined to the top surface at anangle of about fifty-two and a halt degrees in the opposite direction.

Figs. 6 to 10 show a lens, A set in a vertical plate, as the riser of astep, and to direct the light, as shown in Fig. 9. It isa section of thehalf of a cylinder, the-outlines of theentire cylinder being denoted bydotted lines 00 in Fig. 9. Its bottom side is flat and standshorizontally, forming the reflecting-surface a. The front or outsidesurface, (I, forms a right angle with the surface a, and the axis of thecylinder is inclined to it at an angle of fortyfive degrees. The frontof the lens is in outline approximately a half-circle or half-ellipse.The socket in the plate Bis flat on its bottom, and curved above toconform to the lens and to keep the latter in place when set. It has ormay have a toe or projection, 0, cast on it, Which extends backward orinside the building, and on which the bottom surface, (1., of the lensrests, as on a bracket. The lens has usually but three projecti ms, b b,as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, all being arranged on the upper sideof the lens.

The lens A (shown in Figs. It to 13)is also a section of ahalf-cylinder, as denoted in Fig. 13, and is also shown set in avertical plate, 13, as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. It islike thelens AZexceptth'at the axis of the cylinder is inclined to the frontsurface, (I, at an angle of about thirty-five degrees, and thereflecting-surface a forms an angle of about one hundred and fivedegrees with the front surface. This obtuse angle causes the light to bedirected at a lower angle, as denoted in' Fig. 13. Both of these lensesA and A are designed to collect the nearly vertical rays of lightstriking the plate B at an angle diverging but slightly from it, and tothrow them back into the building in the same manner and for the samepurpose as the lens A. They are chiefly useful where it is necessary toset the plates nearly vertical and it is desirable to reflect the lightin a nearly horizontal direction. Eitherof my lenses may be used in amore or less inclined plate, in which case the direction in which thelight is sent will be correspondingly changed. By choosing amongthesefour lenses, any inclination ordinarily adopted may be so fitted withlenses as to direct the greater portion of the light to any desired partof the room. I have shown and described these lenses as beingsections ofcylinders; butthey mayinstead be sections of square or polygonal prisms,if

preferred; but I prefer the cylindrical form, because it givesa morecompact form to the lens. and does not weaken the socket-plate as muchas other forms.

I will now describe the applications of my lenses to the various formsof roofs, Ste.

Fig. let shows the back part of a basementhavingaconvexorcnrvedbaseinentextensionroof or lean-to, G, which issupposed to be set with my lenses. The lenses are so chosen and set atsuch angles that the parallel rays of light descending at the rear ofthe building are refracted and reflected into the basement, and arecaused to cross each other at a common focal level or line, 1), withinthe building, and at a short distance below the ceilingsay, forinstance, one foot below. After crossing at this common point on linethe rays separate, and most of them strike the ceiling toward the centerand darker portion of the basement at dilfcrcnt angles, and are thencereflected do wnward to various parts of the room. By thus arranging afocal line and causing the rays of light to cross it the greatestpractical advantage of the illumination is secured. In Fig. 15 the samearrangement is shown as applied to the front of a basement where thelight passes through illuminating steps and risers. Here the lenses areshown or indicated on a small scale.

It will be understood that in referring-in this specification to therays of light passing through and directed by the lenses I refer to theprincipal portion of the light, that which is actually reflected asdescribed, and not that smaller portion which passes through withoutreflection or is otherwise diffused or scattered. Fig. 16 shows more indetail how the several sets of lenses are to be arranged to accomplishthis result. The upper portion of the lean-t0 roof, where it is nearlyhorizontal, is set with lenses A A. As the inclination becomes graduallysteeper the axes of thesc lenses are gradually more inclined, therebyreflecting the light up at successively higher angles until a point isreached where the surface a is presented so abruptly to the rays oflight that it no longer. reflects them, but permits them to passthrough. At that point, or just before that point is reached, the lensesA A are substituted, or else the curved roof is broken up in partialsteps, so that the lenses IIO A can be set at an angle so littleinclined that they will still reflect the light. Even if this lattercourse be followed, as shown in the lower portion of the roof in thisfigure, a point will eventually be reached where it is advisable tosubstitute the lenses A A. When these steps or jogs become sufficientlywell defined to have risers wide enough to admit lenses they are setwith lenses A or A depending upon the angle. If the risers are nearlyVertical, lenses A are used. If more inclined, lenses A are preferable,due regard being had to the direction in which it is desired to send thelight. It is best in a curved roof to combine all four forms of lenses,as shown.

Fig. 17 shows a straight inclined roof or lean-to embodying two methodsof arranging the lenses. The upper half is a straightinclined plate setonly with lenses A A. The lower half is an angular plate broken up intopartial steps or jogs, in which are set lenses A and A or A Fig. 18shows a fragment of a roof-plate of this angular construction, andillustrates one method of constructing or forming it. The pattern ismade in strips or bars, each having a row of sockets in it, and whichare set together edge to edge, as shown, and at any desired angles,according to the slope or curvature of the roof and the lenses to beused, and are supported, when the casting is made, on a follow-board, inthe usual manner. They are shown as arranged at asuitable angle forlenses A and A I have described four lenses having theirreflecting-faces arranged at differentangles with respect to thelens-axis; but I wish it understood that these are only examples. I mayemploy lenses of this character having their reflecting-faces arrangedat angles with their axes, varying from these according to the genciesof the particular case.

I claim as my invention 1. Aretlecting-lensfor anilluminating-plate,consisting of a section of a cylinder or other prismatic solid havingareflecting-surface extending in a plane obliquely to the axis thereof,and a top or outside surface meeting said reflecting-surface at anangle, substantially as set forth.

2. A reflecting-lens consisting of a section of a longitudinal. half ofa cylindrical or other prism, having outside and reflecting surfacesextending in planes crossing the axis thereof obliquely, substantiallyas set forth.

3. A reflecting-lens-tl1e oblique reflectingsurface of which extendsentirely through the socket and meets the outside face of the lens,substantially as set forth.

4. A lens having a hat reflecting-surface extending to and meeting itsoutside face, in combination with an illuminating-plate having a socketflat on one side to receive such refleeting-surface, and otherwiseconforming to the said lens, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a reflecting-lens whose reflecting-surfaceextends through its socket, of a plate having a socket to receive suchlens, and provided with atoe or bracket, 6, to support the lens,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a plate having ahalfround socket with a lens madehalf-round where it enters said socket, and having slender projectionson its convex side opposite its flat side, substantially as set forth.

7. An illuminated frontor rear area or base ment extension-roof set withreflecting-lenses arranged to converge the principal reflected rays oflight on or neara focusing line or level extending beneath the ceilingof the room and parallel with said roof, substantially as set forth.

8. An illuminating front or rear area or ex-- tension roof formed withalternate salient and mentoring angles or approximately vertical andhorizontal portions, and set with reflecting-lenses in both suchportions, the reflecting-surfaces of the lenses set in suchapproximately vertical portions presentinga different angle to theiroutside surfaces from those set in the approximately horizontalportions, whereby thelight reflected by each row or series of lenses issent in the same general direction as that from the adjoining rows,substantially as set forth.

9. A curved roof or other surface formed with alternate salient andre-entering angles, with alternating rows of sockets, the successiverows set with reflecting-lenses of successively different reflectingangles, whereby the light is reflected in vary ing directions to focusthe rays thereof, substantially as set forth.

10. As an illuinitiating-plate or part thereof, a plate arrangedvertically, or nearly so, formed with a row or rows of half-roundlenssockets, the bottomsthcreof being straight and set'withreflecting-lenses whose reflecting-surfaces extend into said sockets andreston the flat sides thereof, substantially as set forth.

11. The improvement in the art of manufacturing a reflecting-lens fromglass, which consists in casting it with its reflecting-surface out ofcontact with the surface of the mold, substantially as set forth,whereby the chilling and deadening effect of the mold onsaid surface andthe after process of tire-polishing are avoided.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOSHUA K. INGALLS.

